Caleb Burggraaf
Tip of the Burg

A week ago, I was ready to write a column that would put the football team to shame. At that time, the Mavs were 1-3 and on their way to one of the worst seasons the under the Joe Ramunno era. Even though the defense was going above and beyond the call of duty to win games, when the offense had the ball, all hope was lost. I thought that the team would be lucky to win another game this season.
Through three quarters of the homecoming game, my opinion wasn’t swayed as the team once again put out its dysfunctional offense every time they went out onto the field. But in a three minute time span, my previous thoughts went out the window.
At the start of the fourth quarter, the Mavericks were down 14-3. With 12 minutes remaining left in the quarter, they were up 17-14.
Though this offense doesn’t have the consistency that many teams look for, it is still a very potent group. With a quarterback who is maturing every game in Michael Mankoff, a utility player in Robert Felberg, a surplus of running backs, and a pair of wideouts that are a threat for a touchdown each time they receive a pass, this is a team that can turn around and score at any time. Add those features to a defense that has one of the best “bend but don’t break” mentalities in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, this is a groupProxy-Connection: keep-alive
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hat is on the edge of having a championship season.
The shot at a title may come sooner than many people think. The RMAC this season is as close as it has been in years with no team really separating itself from the pack. This past weekend, Kearney was almost upset by Western, CSU Pueblo lost to Mines, and with the win Saturday night against Fort Lewis, Mesa moved into a three-way tie for third place in the RMAC standings with Chadron State and Western New Mexico. With three games remaining against top teams in the RMAC, all Mesa has to do is put out a performance like they did against the Skyhawks during the upcoming contests and this team could easily be in contention for the title.
Up to this point, the Mavericks have done a great job of backing themselves into a proverbial corner in the title chase. But a cornered animal can many times be the most dangerous. Mesa State is no different. They have the tools. They have the desire. The only question is can they put them both together for the next five games.

cburggra@mesastate.edu